A really old law: Magna Carta sells for 21 plus million

710-year-old copy of the declaration of human rights known as theMagna Carta — the version that became part of English law — wasauctioned Tuesday for $21.3 million, a Sotheby’s spokeswoman said.  Thedocument, which had been expected to draw bids of $30 million orhigher, was bought by David Rubenstein of The Carlyle Group, a privateequity firm, the spokeswoman said.  Sotheby’s vice chairman DavidRedden called the old but durable parchment “the most importantdocument in the world, the birth certificate of freedom.”  Thedocument was owned by the Perot Foundation, created by Texasbillionaire H. Ross Perot, since the early 1980s. It had been onexhibit at the auction house for the past 11 days.

Source/more:  Comcast News, http://www6.comcast.net/news/articles/entertainment/2007/12/19/Magna.Carta/